civitas institute

June 2, 2017 -
Among the corporate sponsors of this year's Conservative Leadership Conference organized by the Art Pope-founded Civitas Institute are Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina and Duke Energy.

December 2, 2016 -
A think tank founded and largely funded by GOP mega-donor Art Pope has jumped into the still-unsettled North Carolina gubernatorial race with a lawsuit challenging same-day registration — a program the legislature killed in 2013 but a federal court revived for this year's election.

May 19, 2016 -
In a recent National Public Radio interview, the businessman and conservative mega-donor denied funding anti-LGBT rights groups that support North Carolina's "bathroom bill." But the record clearly shows he has.

May 6, 2016 -
Where does North Carolina's leading conservative donor stand on the state's so-called "bathroom bill"? Art Pope hasn't publicly stated his position on HB2, but he has a long history of funding groups and politicians that support the law, which the Justice Department says illegally discriminates against transgender people.

February 25, 2015 -
Charles and David Koch, who run the Koch Industries conglomerate and support a national network of conservative political groups, plan to spend close to $900 million on the 2016 elections -- and they're getting help from businesspeople in the South.

August 7, 2014 -
This week Gov. Pat McCrory announced that his budget director, conservative mega-donor and businessman Art Pope, will resign. The move frees Pope to resume leadership in the political influence machine he's built just in time for the fall elections.

January 10, 2014 -
Art Pope and his well-funded political machine take credit for pushing North Carolina to the right when it serves their purposes -- and deny responsibility when thrust into the media spotlight.

December 17, 2013 -
The Civitas Institute, a conservative think tank founded and bankrolled by N.C. budget director Art Pope, sought funding to portray the Medicaid program as "failed" and to urge funding cuts, according to leaked documents obtained by The Guardian. The effort comes as the McCrory administration wants to privatize management of the public health insurance program for the poor and disabled.

December 16, 2013 -
Hundreds of professors and grad students from colleges and universities across North Carolina are urging Gov. Pat McCrory to condemn a broad information request from a think tank tied to his state budget director. The group is seeking records from UNC law professor and anti-poverty crusader Gene Nichol, an outspoken administration critic.